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Are Jibran Nasir and Civil Society using Peshawar Martyrs as propaganda tools? Or do they stand for justice?

Taken from https://www.facebook.com/notes/%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1/are-jibran-nasir-and-civil-society-using-peshawar-martyrs-as-propaganda-tools-or/1393607060936971?fref=nf

The tragic Peshawar attack carried out by TTP on 16th December 2014 triggered a highly angry response from all corners of Pakistani society. It drew condemnation from, religious and political leaders both national and international. As a result Pakistan saw massive protests against the TTP and the murders.
One group led by a pakistani lawyer Jibran Nasir directed their protests towards the Red Mosque, which they claimed supports the TTP and that the Mosque’s leader Maulana Abdul Aziz did not condemn TTP’s massacre and refused to call the students who died there as martyrs [1]. The ‘vigil moevement’ launched via social media has so far succeeded in producing an unbailable arrest warrant for Maulana Abdul Aziz [5] but, as of the time of writing of this article, he has not been arrested.
It has been claimed by those who side with Lal Masjid’s stance that the ‘Vigil Movement’ led by Jibran Nasir is part of a wider movement to secularize Pakistan and it’s Mosques, using the martyrs of Peshawar tragedy as a propaganda tool. This article will study claims of both sides and present the reader with evidence and a conclusion with which they are free to disagree with.

The claims
1. The movement started with the claim by the ‘Vigil Movement’ that Maulana Abdul Aziz refused to condemn TTP’s massacre and refused to call the students who died there as martyrs. Lal Masjis claims Maulana did condemn the attacks. The clip presented in [2] is given as evidence by both sides to support their claims. The exact words of Maulana in the clip are: “This is a sad incident, a heart-wrenching incident and a black day in the history of Pakistan”. He next says that “I do not condemn one side only. If you wish to condemn, then condemn those [implied: Pakistan Army] too who kill innocent tribesmen. Further condemnation by Maulana Abdul Aziz can be seen in [3].

2. The movement claimed that Maulana refused to call the martyred students as martyrs. There is no evidence given by the “Vigil Movement’ except Jibran Nasir’s word. Lal Masjid produced this video as evidence that their claim is false (see [4])

3. The movement alleged that Maulana is a supporter/apologist of TTP; indeed this has been at the core of the movement. However evidence exists that shows Maulana’s differences with TTP. In [6] he is asked about the killing of his associate Khalid Khwaja of the ISI at hands of TTP in 2010, to which he replies that he “does not know why he [khalid khawaja] was killed, but the perpetrators are wrong”, and also adds later that “Khawaja’s confession was staged”. The Civil Society has not been able to as yet show any evidence of Maulana Abdul Aziz’s direct association with TTP. Maulana Adbul Aziz has also stated that he and the Jamia are not affiliated with either Afghan Taliban or Islamic State [21].

4. Lal Masjid alleged that Jibran Nasir is using the martyrs of Peshawar as an excuse for spreading his personal interpretation of Islam and asking government to impose that on Mosques throughout Pakistan. As evidence they point towards [7] , a public post from his personal profile (now hidden from public, but screenshot captured) that indicates he considers Qadianis as Muslims. Pakistan’s Constitution, and the consensus of Muslim scholars, state that Qadianis are non-Muslims because they reject the Finality of the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). It is also a crime to refer to the Qadianis’ place of worhsip as a Mosque as Mosque is specific for Muslims only. However Nasir has called the Qadiani place of worship as a Mosque in [9], captured screenshot from his page submitted by Lal Masjid page is given as evidence. There is no comment by Nasir or the Civil Society as to whether they consider Qadianis as Muslims. Nasir advocates for the second amendment, which recognizes Qadianis as non-Muslim, to be repealed and advocates LGBT rights in pakistan. Here is an excerpt from his article published in Dawn Newspaper’s website (see [20]):”…For example, I feel strongly about having non-Muslim parliamentarians contest for the office of the Prime Minister along with their Muslim colleagues; for thesecond amendment to be repealed; for Hindus and Sikhs to have their personal marriage laws; for LGBT(Lesbian, Fay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender) rights to be recognised. ….”

The second amendment is reproduced as under:”A person who does not believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of The Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the last of the Prophets or claims to be a Prophet, in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever, after Muhammad (Peace be upon him), or recognizes such a claimant as a Prophet or religious reformer, is not a Muslim for the purposes of the Constitution or law.”
Lal Masjid also point towards [8], in which Nasir is shown celebrating the Hindu festival Holi. By consensus it is not possible for Muslims to attend religious festivals of non-Muslims [10]. Ibn Taymiyyah (May Allah be pleased with him), one of the top Muslim jurists of all time has stated: “”Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak.” [11].

5. Lal Majid alleges that Jibran Nasir and Civil Society have backing of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of Pakistan led by self-exiled leader Altaf Hussein. While Nasir categorically denies having membership of MQM [12], evidence has emerged of his association with members of MQM and speaking at their rally (see [13] and [14]).
MQM is a terrorist nationalist racist organization which is funded and trained by India’s intelligence agency RAW. This was confessed by one of their target killers Ajmal Pahari in a video under police interrogation [15]. Law experts from pakistan also say that Altaf Hussein is a criminal [17].

6. Lal Masjid alleges that Jibran Nasir and Civil Society have a sectarian pro-shia bias which contradicts their secular claims. The evidence given is this speech (see [16]) in which a Shia Hazara rallies people to stand behind the Shia outside Lal Masjid during one of the protests, and while Nasir has denounced militant groups in which a Shia group was also named [18] no protests or social media drives were launched by Nasir or any of the activists of Civil Society against the insults and hate speech regularly spewed from Shia Majalis from the mouths of their preachers. No protests were launched by them when Shia extremists admitted on video to attack Masjid Taleem ul Qur’an in Rawalpindi in November 2013 [38]. For a brief study of hate speeches done by Shia, in their books and speeches, see [19].

Selective Humanity?
There have been claims that Civil Society nurtures selective humanity. Civil society on the other hand claims to be against the killing of innocents. However, to date, neither the Civil society nor Nasir have protested outside US Embassy nor campaigned against the use of CIA drones inside Pakistan. The Bureau for Investigative Journalism lists an estimated 416-959 civilians, 168-204 children killed in CIA strikes inside Pakistan between 2004 and 2014 out of an estimated 2400-3888 killed [22]. The Bureau also provides evidence of CIA targeting rescuers and funerals in the aftermath of a drone strike [23]. Also see [31]. Leaked Pakistani report confirming high civilian death-toll in such strikes is presented in [24]. A video showing the aftermath of a drone strike is presented in [25].
Not Civil Society nor Nasir have protested outside GHQ in Rawalpindi for their complicity in drone strikes [26], or for indiscriminate bombing of civilian population in KPK province of Pakistan and F.A.T.A (see [27], [28] [29] and [30]). There was no outrage shown by Civil Society when a US drone killed 83 students of a religious a seminary in Bajaur, in 2006 [32]. What the Civil Society has achieved however, apart from the unbailable arrest warrant against Maulana Abdul Aziz, is to unleash secular extremists who can be seen in [33] throwing abusive words at “bearded people” and not just at Lal Masjid administration, and making tall claims against Lal Masjid but not providing any evidence except their own word [34].

Conclusion
The Civil Society and Nasir are silent over threats made by Shia extremist Faisal Raza Abidi [35] and MQM leader Altaf Hussein to extra-judicially burn down Lal Masjid. Abidi has even called upon terrorist Shia organization Hezbullat to come to Pakistan and burn Lal Masjid. Civil Society are silent over the crimes of CIA and Pakistan Army. They are silent over the crimes of the Shia scholars and shia extremist organizations.. Even when they have taken action against someone other than Lal Masjid administration it is against Aamir Liaquat [36] in whose show remarks were passed against Qadianis. Nasir has linked these remarks to killing of a Qadiani in Gujranwala on December 27th 2014. The link is not proven, however what is to be noted is that action was taken against Aamir Liaquat for remarks against Qadianis but no action was taken by Civil Society when Liaquat made derogatory remarks himself against Companions of the Prophet (S.A.W) [37].
Therefore the conslusion drawn by the author of this article is that civil society show double standards and selectively condemn crimes. By their own logic they are apologists for crimes of CIA, Pakistan Army, Shia scholars and Shia extremists. Their allegations against Lal Masjid proved to be false and were based on what they ‘perceived’ as opposed to what Maulana Abdul Aziz actually said. Nasir is going against Islam and Pakistani Constitution by promoting Qadianis as Muslims and advocating for them to be labelled Muslims. Therefore he should be arrested. The Civil Society is shown to have selective humanity in this article and that they, and Nasir, are using the martyred children as propaganda to further their desire for secularized Mosques. Their vigil is not based on love for humanity or justice rather for personal gains. The author requests sincere members of the vigil who have come out against TTP to notice that they are being duped in the name of ‘peace’ and that association with people who shamelessly exploit peshawar tragedy is a travesty in itself. If you wish to condemn one tragedy you must condemn all tragedies so that you can be taken seriously.